Apparatus for automatic and continuous analysis and recording of gases



W. D. R. BROWN AND W. T. PICKSTON. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND commuousANALYSIS AND RECORDING 0F GASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, 1919. 1,422,,G8Q

Patented July H 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. D. R. BROWN AND W. T. PICKSTON. 1 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC-ANDcommuous ANALYSIS AND RECORDING OF GASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, 1919.

Patented July 1], 1922.

5 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

W. D. R. BROWN AND W. T. PICKSTON. TOMATIC AND CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS ANDRECOR APPLICATION FILED DEC .15, I919. 1,422,080.

APPARATUS FOR AU DING 0F GASES.

Patented July 1], 1922.

b SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W. D. R. BROWN AND W. T. PICKSTON. OMATIC'AND CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS ANDRECORDING 0F GASES.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, 1919.- 1,422,080. Patented July 13, 1922.

5 SHEEIS-SHEET 4.

APPARATUS FOR AUT W. D. R. BROWN AND T. PICKSTON. UTOMATIC ANDCONTINUOUS ANALYSIS AND RECORDING 0F GASES.

, APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, I919. 1 ,422,080, Patented-July IL 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

APPARATUS FOR A a JAR/Q2,

ares master as WALTER DOUGLAS RUSSELL BROWN AND WILLIAM THOMAS PICKSTDN,OE BOLTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC AND CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS AND RECORDING OE GASES.

iaaaoso.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 11, 1922.

Application filed December 15, 1919. Serial No. 344,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER DOUGLAS RUSSELL BROWN and WILLIAM THOMASPIOKST'ON, both subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, andresidents of Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, England, have inventedcertain new or Improved Apparatus for Automatic and Continuous Analysisand Recording of Grases of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to the automatic and continuous analysis of gasesby the absorption process andto the automatic and continuous recordingoi the results of the process upon a chart. The invention is moreparticularly applicable to recording the amount of carbonic acid gas (COin exit gases from boiler "furnaces, although it can also be used foranalyzing and recording gases other than carbonic acid gas in exits,fines or other portions of industrial plants.

According to the invention, the improved analyzing and recordingapparatus comprises a closed vessel into which the flue or other gasesto be analyzed are intermittently and automatically drawn from theboiler flue, or other exit. and out of which the Said gases areintermittently and automatically discharged into a further vesselcontaining chemicals by which the desired analysis is effected, saidfilling and emptying of the vessel with gases being effected by thealternate partial emptying and refilling of the vessel with water underthe control of a Siphon, and under the control of a regulatable andconstantly running Supply of liquid.

It also consists in means whereby during the filling of the vessel withwater, a porticn of the gases is discharged into the atmosphere and theremainder is delivered into the said further vessel containing thechemicals. The apparatus also consists of an inverted bell or floatadapted to be acted upon by the analyzed gases and to operate apen-carrying arm which will indicate on a clock-driven chart when thequantity of carbonic acid gas, or other gas absorbed by the chemical, isless than a fixed maximum. Other features of the apparatus are anautomatic release for the analyzed gases; an improved form of siphonpipe; an improved form of supply cistern, and an arrangement of pipeswhereby the action of the apparatus once started is entirely independentof valves.

The invention" will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawin s, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a sectional elevation of one exampleof the improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 illustrates a like view of a further example.

Fig. 8 illustrates a front perspective exterlor view of the apparatusshown in Fig. 2 and its casing.

Figs. 4-. and 5 illustrate geometric vertical sections and Fig. 6 a planof the Same apparatus, the sections in Fig. l being taken on lines :c-m,see Fig. 6, and the section in Fig. 5 being taken on line g Referring toFig. 1, a is a cast-iron or other suitable vessel, preferablycylindrical, and fitted with a gas-tight lid a. Alongside or near Suchvessel is a tube Z2, closed at the bottom end and open at the top, suchtube constituting a cistern for receiving and holding a head O1" Water,the Water running in slowly from any suitable source of supply. Saidtube or cistern 6 is connected at its lower end by a pipe Z) with thelower part of the vessel a. Extending into said vessel and reaching downto a pointnear its lower end is a pipe 0, such pipe serving to conveythe flue gases into the vessel a, which constitutes a gas-collectingchamber. Extending through the lid a is a siphon pipe d, that part ofthe pipe within the vessel being wider than the part outside the vessel,for the reasons hereinafter explained. The lower end of such wider partextends down to a level slightly higher than the lower end of the gasinletpipe 0. A further pipe e also passes into the'vessel but only for ashort distance such pipe being provided for the purpose of allowing aportion of the gases to escape into the atmosphere and to ensure of theremaining flue gases in the vesesl being a good average. The other endof the pipe 6 extends into a small pocket (1. cast on the vessel a andcontaining water for the purpose of sealing the pipe end. Extendingupwards from the top of the lid a is a thimble like extension a whichrises to a level slightly higher than the bend of the V vessel a, is afurther pipe f, such pipe constituting the conduit through which thegases to be analyzed are conveyedfrom the vessel a. Said pipe f extendsinto a further vessel 9 containing mercury, by which the lower end ofthe pipe is sealed. Adjacent to the vessel 9 is a U tube It, alsocontaining mercury, the upper end of one limb being closed and the spaceabove the mercury in such limb being connected by a pipe 71,.

with the pipe 7. Extending from the top of the vessel 9 is a pipe 2'which at its-other and lower end communicates with the interior ofavessel j containing the ,chemicals for analyzing the gases andhereinafter called the gas absorption vessel. Extending downwards fromthe lid of such gas absorption vessel may be a flange or flanges jdipping into the elements and arranged to produce a tortuous passage forthe gases to follow in passing through the vessel.

At the end of the vessel furthest from the end at which the pipe '5enters, is an outlet pipe is which extends upwards into an invertedcylindrical hollow float or bell Z arranged within a further vessel 772,this latter being partly filledrwith water. The float or bell ispreferably made to two diameters as shown, and is counterbalanced, ornearly so, by aweight.

Pivotally connected to the float or bell, is a counterweighted arm Zcarrying a pen Z This latter normally bears lightly against the face ofa chart carried upon a clockdriven drum n. Said chart is marked with a 7vertical and horizontal lines, the former representing time and thelatter representing percentages. These latter will usually be from 0% to20%, the zero percentage markbeing uppermost. The pen is nor- .mally setto bear against the chart below the zero point ashereinafter explained.Extending from the gas absorption vessel is a pipe 7" the other end ofwhich passes into the open-ended limb of the U tube 7t and normally downinto the mercury within the 7 tube.

The action of the apparatus is as follows: Water being admitted-into thecistern Z2,

itflows into and gradually fills the vessel a, any air being dispelledthrough the siphon pipe d-and pipes eand 7". On the water rising to thelevel of the bend of the siphon pipe 03 a siphonic action is started,whereupon the water in the vessel a is emptied until the lower end ofthe shorter limb of the pipe 03 is uncovered, when the siphonic actionceases. With the fall of the level of the water in the vessel a, avacuum is formed in the space above the level of the water, and undersuch vacuum, gases from the furnace fluev are caused to enter thevesselvia the pipe 0, the gases bubbling through the the cistern Z) the wateragain fills the vessel a and this time first drives a portion of thegases out through the pipe 6 andthen drives the remainder down throughthe pipe 7' into the absorption vessel j via the vessel 9.

Any CO in the gases is absorbed by the chemicals (caustic potash) in thevessel The chart will preferably be marked to indicate 20% of COdownwards, and the pen will normally lie at a point below 20% mark, theintervening space representing the distance the pen has to move for theremaining of the gases. The analyzed gases collect within the largerpart of the float and lift the pen from the lowest position to the 20%mark. Should there have been less than 20% of CO in the gases, the gasescon tinue to enter the float and raise it still further, and thus causethe pen to indicate'and record the reduced percentage of C0 Thenarrowing of the float permits of a comparatively long and quickvertical movement of the pen forsmall differences in the percentages ofCO lVith the subsequent emptying of the we sel a of water, a freshcharge of gases enters the vessel, and with each refilling of the vesselwith water, the gases are discharged into the gas'absorption vessel j.The speed at which the apparatus works is determined by the rateat'which the water enters or leaves the cistern 6.

After each test, the gases in the vessel are automatically released anddischarged to atmosphere through pipe j. That is to say, during thedrawing in of a fresh charge of gases in vessel (.1, the level ofthemercury in the right hand limb of the U tube 71 is raised by the vacuumin the vessel a, thereby unsealing the end of the pipe j and allowingthe tested gases to pass from the vessel j and from beneath the floatZ'into the atmosphere, the time taken for the drawing in of the freshgases into vessel (4 being sufflcient to all of the escape of the testedgases from the vessel j.

7 Referring now to Fig. 2, the upper part of the apparatus therein shownis similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but differing in'that the pipe Z)connecting the bottom of the cistern I) with the vessel a is curvedinstead of straight and is taken from the bottom face of the cistern Z)to the underface of the vessel a so as to more effectively ensure of thewater entering the vessel a free of air bubbles and so also (if desired)to allow of the pipe, which may be .flexible, being periodicallydisconnected from the vessel a and the vessel drained, a cock-controllednipple a being provided (see Figs. 4 and 5) to allow of the outlet beingopened and closed when the pipe is disconnected. In this latter case,

the nipple will preferably be central to the bottom of the vessel.

The lower part of the apparatus difiers from that shown in Fig. 1 inthat the U shaped tube his dispensed with, as also the vessel 9 andpipes i, j and 7c, the pipe f passing directly to the gas absorptionvessel 0. This latter consists of a cast-iron circular box withgas-tight cover 0 from which depends a central annular flange 0 made totwo diameters in like manner and to like relative proportions as thebell'or float Z in Fig. 1. The pipe f dips into the chemical solutioncontained in the boX. lVithin the upper part of the chamber formed bythe annular iiange '0 lies a float or inverted bell p, which issuspended from a light lever 1" supported by knife edges r on bearingblocks 8. Said lever is adjustably counterweighted at one end and at itsother end carries the pen-carrying arm Zf which is also fulcrumed onknife edges, and is also counter-weighted at its lower end in order toyieldingly hold the pen against the face of the chart on theclock-driven drum. A strut r serves to support the lever T when. atrest.

The pipe t for allowing of the escape of the tested gases is taken fromthe top of the vessel '0 to a point on a level with the bend of thesiphon pipe d and then turned down until its free end lies rather morethan half-way down the side of the vessel a. The upper parts of the pipet lie within a tubeu closed at the bottom and open at the top and at itsbottom end connected by a pipe t to the vessel a. Water from the vessela enters the tube 11, via the pipe t and the level of the water in thetube rises and falls with the level of the water in the vessel a,therefore, on the water rising to discharge the gases into the vessel 0,the upper end of the pipe 25 is sealed by the water in the tube a, andon the water sinking to draw fresh gases into the vessel a, the end ofthe pipe t becomes unsealed when the water has sunk below the end of thepipe, thereby allowing the tested gases to escape from the vessel 0 intothe atmosphere.

The gases to be tested enter the space '0 within the gas absorptionvessel 0 after bubbling through the chemicals. Assuming there is 20% ofCO in the gases and that such gas is absorbed by the chemicals, thevolume of gases entering the space 4) will be such as to depress thelevel of the liquid in the space 1; and raise the level of the liquid inthe float chamber until it just reaches the float. Should however, therebe less than 20% of CO in the gases, the level of the chemicals in thespace 0 will be further depressed and the level in the float chamberraised, thereby raising the float p which through the lever r and penarm Z will cause the pen Z to indicate and record on the chart thereduced percentage of CO of the chemicals, see Fig.

in the gases. In contrast with the arrangement of float Shown in Fig. l,the float in Fig. 2 only commences to rise after the gases have raisedthe level of the liquid to the float, and only when the percentage ofC0,, is less than the predetermined maximum.

The apparatus is first set to work on air and the pressure reached ismarked as zero on the chart by the pen.

To ensure of a steady movement of the float and a steady reading small Vslits may be formed in the bottom edge of the float. In each example theends of the pipes dipping in the water, mercury or chemicals ispreferably c-hamfered off, to allow of the pipe ends being graduallysealed, or uncovered, or to allow of the gases more readily bubblingthrough the liquor.

The making of the shorter limb of the siphon pipe of wider proportionsthan the other parts of the pipe, is in order to ensure of a quick andcomplete breaking of the siphon action when the lower end of the pipe isuncovered.

The advantage of admitting water to the vessel a via the narrow and deepcistern 1) is that the cistern 5 allows of any air bubbles in the waterescaping before reaching the vessel a. Near its top end the cistern isprovided with an overflow pipe 5 The pipe 25 is preferably made ofconsiderable length (see Fig. i) so as to prevent air being drawn intothe vessel a when the pipe 26 is unsealed.

The vessels and pipes will be of materials suitable for resistingtheaction of the gases and chemicals and where necessary rubber will beused for connecting one length of pipe to another.

A practical embodiment of the arrangement of apparatus shown in Fig. 2,is shown in Figs. 3 to 6. The letters of reference used with Fig. .2 areapplied to the same parts in Figs. l, 5 and 6.

A gauge glass '20 may be applied to the gas absorption vessel!) toindicate the level And a rubber outlet pipe and pinch cook a maybeprovided to allow of the emptying of the vessel when fresh chemicalsare required.

The clock-driven drum n will preferably be supported on a stand nresting upon the cover 0 of the vessel 0. The whole apparatus willusually be enclosed in a wood cabinet or case y with glazed door, thecistern b and the gas inlet pipe 0 extending through the top of the caseand the longer limb of the siphon pipe cZ extending through the floor ofthe case.

As before stated, the improved apparatus may be employed in the testingof exit and other gases for other constituents than CO the chemicals inthe vessel 0 being varied to suit.

Fig. 7 illustrates a portion of the chart paper, the vertical lines 1being those made the vertical lines 1 indicate the percentages of COover any given period of time.

What we claim is "1. Apparatus for the continuous and automatic analysisof flue and other gases by the absorption process and the continuous andautomatic recording of such analysis, comprising, in combination, anenclosed gascollecting vessel, a tube-like cistern alongside said vesseland connected at its lower end by a pipe to the bottom of the vessel, a

' gas 1nlet pipe extending down through the top of the vessel to a pointnear the lower end, a siphon pipe, the shorter limb of which passesthrough the top of the vessel and extends down to a level slightly abovethe level of the said gas-inlet pipe and is of larger diameter than theother parts of the siphon pipe, a further pipe also passing through thetop of the vessel and downwards within the vessel to a point about athird of the way down the vessel and at its other end, outside thevessel, dipping into a water seal, a gas-discharge pipe extendingupwards into a thimble-like extension on the cover of the vessel at oneend, and downwards through the floor of the vessel and into a furthervessel at its other end, said further vessel being partially filled withchemicals which serve to seal the lower end of the ipe, and a furtherpipe connected with said further vessel at one end and at the other endentering a liquid seal, which is controlled by the emptying andrefilling ol. the gas-collecting vessel, substantially as herein setforth.

2. Apparatus for the continuous and automatic analysis of flue and othergases by the absorption process and the continuous and automaticrecording of such analysis,

comprising, in combination, an enclosed gas-collecting vessel, atube-like cistern alongside said vessel and connected at its lower endby a pipe to the bottom of the vessel, a gas-inlet pipe extending ;downthrough the top of thevessel to a point near the lower end, a siphonpipe, the shorter limb of which passes through the top of the vessel andextends down to a level slightly above the level of the said gas-inletpipe and isof larger, diameter'than the otherparts of the siphon pipe, afurther pipe also passing through the top of the vessel and downwardswithinithe vessel to a point about a third of the way down the vesseland at itsother end, outside the vessel, dipping into a water seal, agas-discharge pipe extending upwards into a thimble-like extension onthe cover of the vessel at one end, and downwards through the floor ofthe vessel and into a further vessel atits other end, said furthervessel having a cover and an annular flange of two diameters dependingfrom said cover and dividing the chamber into a gas chamber and a floatchamber, a float within the latter, a pen, means connect ing the floatwith the pen, and a clock-driven drum carrying a time and percentagechart,

a further pipe connected with said further vessel at one end and at theother end entering a liquid seal which is controlled by the emptying andrefilling of the gas-collecting vessel, substantially as herein setforth.

3. Apparatus for the continuous and automatic analysis of flue and othergases by the absorption process and the continuous and automaticrecording of such analysis, comprising, in combination, an initial gasmeasuring chamber, a residual gas measuring chamber and means wherebythe withdrawal of the sealing liquid from the initial gas measuringchamber by a vacuum serves to unseal the exit of the residual gasmeasuring chamber, as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER DOUGLAS RUSSELL BROWN. WILLIAM THOMAS PICKSTON. lVitnesses i H.Y. JUNCA, WV. HARREL LITTLE.

